In Fiscal Year 2025, Disability Rights Florida (DRF) monitored, tracked, and worked with partners, stakeholders, and policymakers on many issues and laws about emergency management. Most of this work focused on teaching people about Senate Bill 180, which deals with emergencies. DRF set up meetings with lawmakers and other groups to make sure the bill included rules about emergency planning at the county level and how the public is told about special needs shelters. These changes were later made into law. One important rule says that groups, like young children or people whose caregivers have disabilities, can stay together in the state’s Special Needs Shelters if needed. This rule was already in the state’s administrative code but was not always followed. DRF also pushed for state and county websites to put clear information about Special Needs Shelter requirements and services on their main websites, so the public can find it easily.
